Before I interviewed where I now work, I went through several interview questions and one of them was what do you do if you encounter or suspect the other pilot has been drinking or is drunk (proof such as slurred speech, smell of alcohol, blood shot eyes, other) . We were encouraged to tell the other crew member to call in sick right immediately and to get help in the EAP program. If that person would not take themselves out of the cockpit, you need to tell them either they are leaving or I was. And if I leave, I will tell crew tracking why I am getting out and then your license and career will be in trouble. Bottom line is you cannot fly drunk or if you are the other pilot, you cannot fly with knowledge that the other pilot is impaired. If we can, we need to get those help when and where we can. I will also say that we can not always tell when the other pilot has been drinking or impaired.
On the other side of this issue, Not to long ago, a passenger made a comment to one of our
Interesting video. Back in the day when I was an engineer on the 727, we were taking off out of IAH to MIA and were hit by lightening on the nose going through 14,000 feet maneuvering between cells. First there was a green haze, a loud crack and a flash. We did not loose any power or systems and continued on to MIA without any incident. It definitely will get your attention.
I agree with preacher1. I am not condoning those guys landing at the wrong airports because they did land at the wrong places. I think the thing to understand is when you fly 3-5 legs day, 16-18 days a month in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, with anything from 0500 sign-ins to a 2100 sign in for a west coast all-nighter turn, for 20 to 30 years along with the things that go on at home and in life and you will begin to understand how it might, I say might, happen.
